The engine and two passenger bogies of the Yashwantpur-Howrah Super-fast Express bound towards Howrah from Bangalore derailed at the outer area of Kuppam railway station, 120 km from here, on Tuesday night, though none were hurt.
According to the railway authorities at Kuppam, the train reached the station one hour late. After leaving the station, the train, instead of entering the main line, entered the loop-line covered in sand. On noticing this, the engine driver, Balakrishna, suddenly applied brakes.
The crew could stop the engine a few metres away from a depression and a rail over-bridge, averting a major tragedy. Rescue teams from Jollarpettai rushed to the spot and delinked the derailed bogies and the engine, providing the train with extra coaches. The train resumed its journey around 2.45 a.m. on Wednesday. A preliminary inquiry has been ordered into the circumstances that led to the train entering the loop-line.
